Wet in Cuenca

Friday evening I arrived in Cuenca after a long 9 hour day on the train and bus. The views were amazing though as we made our way south along the andes. Hoping to meet people and have a fun night I decided to spend my first night at a hostel called Cafecito. It had dorm rooms attached to a bar and restaurant. When I checked in I didn't realize exactly how close and how candle lit and popular the resaurant would be. It was definately a bit odd but I immediately met a British girl my age travelling alone. We went out for dinner and a few drinks. Then we hung out in the restaurant until they closed and turned off the music around midnight.

Saturday morning I was ready for a change and headed out to check out a new hotel. The swedish couple I met in Puyo gave me a flyer and highly reccomended this somewhat small, family owned spot. The mother immediately roped me in, we had a nice conversation in spanish as she showed me around the 4th floor apartment style hostel. She was quite chatty so I mostly just had to listen and make the usual claro, que bueno comments. My room is closet size but there is a nice shared kitchen, living room, and porches with views over the city in two dirrections. Hard to beat for $5 a night.

Saturday morning I also recieved a text message from a couchsurfer, Jose, who I had contacted. I was kind of amazed because I've had no luck with couchsurfing so far here in South America. He invited me up to his house for lunch and after getting settled I walked up to the northern edge of the city center where he lived. It turned out he was rather rich and his family had a really nice single family home with a garden and house keeper/ cook. He was my age and also an artist and art teacher. We had a wonderful almuerzo including soup and a second course with tuna cassarole, rice, and salad. Lunch is traditionally the largest meal here.

After lunch two of his friends came over, a local guy and a girl who was in town from Quito, and we drove out of the city in a jeep with his quite lovable dog. We found a spot to hike where his friend had been before that was spose to have some waterfalls. It turned out to be an adeventure as the trail quickly peetered out and we were left to forge the river and cut our way through the forest and thorn filled brush. I was feeling more or less good until it suddenly started pouring. We were all soaked to the bone and I think I was cold for the rest of the day. Luckily we made it out, although we never found the waterfall. After the hike we all went back to Jose's house. He lent me some dry clothes and the four of us spent the night watching movies.

My last two days have been a little more normal and I have pretty much been spending all my time alone. I've been a little bored and lonely but its definately been pleasent and relaxing. Lots of time walking around the city, journaling, shopping at markets, and eating out. Last night I watch some break dancers informally preform in the park for an hour or so. I think I will leave Cuenca tomorrow morning and head to Vilcabamba, a small rural town in the mountains which is popular with tourists.